It is often difficult for a woman to lie prone on her stomach because of the discomfort caused by having her breasts pressed against her upper body by the surface on which she is lying. The pressure applied by a relatively hard, non-conforming surface against the breasts may be particularly uncomfortable for women whose breasts are especially sensitive, such as women with breast implants, mastectomies, naturally full breasts or who are nursing.
There are pillows and mattresses that are currently available, particularly for pregnant women, that are intended to offer comfort to a woman lying prone by providing cavities or cut-outs in the surface of the mattress or pillow to receive a woman's abdomen and/or breasts. The breast-receiving cavities or cut-outs are configured to conform to a pre-selected "standard" of women's breasts and are not adjustable. This type of design does not provide the comfort and support created by the pillow of the present invention for several reasons. First, pre-formed cavities or cut-outs cannot account for the individual differences in the size and shape of women's breasts. In addition, these cavities or cut-outs do not provide means to support the breasts. As a result, breasts that are smaller than the size of the cavity would simply hang in the cavity, placing disproportionate pressure on the upper torso surrounding the breasts. Breasts larger than the size of the cavities would be compressed against the sides and/or bottom of the cavity or cut-out, thereby defeating the purpose of the cavity or cut-out.
Moreover, these mattresses and pillows do not include portions for comfortably receiving and supporting the arms, shoulders, neck and head of the user. In fact, most of these mattresses or pillows are planar so that the cavities or cut-outs accommodate the user's breasts only if she is lying completely flat; they would not accommodate the user's breasts if she has propped herself up on her elbows or forearms, for instance, to read or watch television.
Finally, these mattresses and pillows are typically either too large or bulky, or must be deflated, in order to be easily transported.
Accordingly, an object of this invention to provide an improved pillow that orthotically supports and cradles the breasts of a woman while she is lying prone.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved pillow that eliminates the pressure applied against the breasts of the user while she is lying prone.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved pillow that comfortably supports the arms, shoulders, neck and head of the user.
Yet another object is to provide an improved pillow that provides support to women with breasts of various shapes and sizes.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a pillow that allows the user to prop up her upper body while in the prone position but that keeps her breasts orthotically supported or cradled.
Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow that is configured and dimensioned so that it may be easily transported.